This free peer critique roundtable event is open to all. If you are not a member of SCBWI, you will need to create a free account to register. This event is made possible by a grant from SCBWI and the Authors Coalition of America.
This structured peer critique session will host 24 participants across 4 tables, welcoming children's book authors and author/illustrators at all levels — pre-published and published alike.
How it works Each participant receives 15 minutes of feedback from their tablemates (groups will be formed randomly and in advance). We will be guided by Linda Sue Park's The Give & Take of Critique. If you have trouble accessing this document, email Kimberly. No written critique is required; just come having read your group's work-in-progress.
Submitting your WIP Pages will be shared in advance. When you submit, please include the following at the top of your pages:
- Genre — use these abbreviations: BB (board book), PB (picture book), CB (chapter book), MG (middle grade), YA (young adult); and F (fiction) or NF (nonfiction)
- One optional question — if you're looking for specific feedback (e.g., Is the emotional arc of my main character clear?), you may include one focused question. If you'd prefer general feedback, no question needed.
- Novelists only: Feel free to note where your excerpt falls within the larger story.
There is a 5-page limit - please use 1 inch margins and double space your document. Book dummy's are welcome too.
Registration will close on 4/3/26. The deadline for submission is also 4/3/26. A confirmation email with a google drive link will be emailed to you after registration for your submissions.
Questions? Email Kimberly.
SCBWI Westchester: Peer Critique Roundtables